Why contents claims stall
Contents inventories run to hundreds or thousands of lines. Carriers often price items with automated tools that substitute cheaper products, apply steep depreciation across the board or ignore sales tax. Policyholders, exhausted from a loss, accept the number because checking it line by line seems impossible.
What we review
- Like kind and quality. A solid-wood dining set isn’t replaced by particleboard. We check that each replacement matches the original.
- Depreciation. Some items lose value slowly or not at all; others depreciate quickly. Blanket percentages rarely fit.
- Missing categories. Clothing, linens, pantry, tools, holiday decorations and garage items often fall off lists.
- Special limits. Jewelry, firearms, collectibles and business property may carry sublimits; we flag them so expectations stay realistic.
How we build a defensible inventory
We work room by room from photos, receipts, bank records and your memory, then price each item from current retail sources. The result is organized so the panel can review it efficiently and the award can separate replacement cost from actual cash value.
Replacement cost versus ACV
Many policies pay actual cash value first and the rest after you replace items. Keep receipts for everything you buy after the loss. We show you how to track replacements so recoverable depreciation isn’t left on the table.
Frequently asked questions
I don’t have receipts for most things. Is that a problem?
It makes documentation harder but not impossible. Photos, videos, bank statements, online order histories and family pictures all help establish ownership and quality.
Can appraisal be used only for contents?
If the structure is settled and only contents are disputed, appraisal can focus on contents, depending on your policy’s wording.